I noticed that wifi.google.com and vpn.google.com are live and functioning domains @ Google... it now looks like Google is providing a new service called Google Secure Access Client.

This client is used for Secure WiFi access via Google VPN (as of right now it has only been tested in San Francisco on "certain wifi networks"). Basically what happens is the following:

1) Anything your computer would normally send over the internet becomes encrypted using the Secure Access Client.2) Once encrypted, it is then sent to Google for processing.3) Google decrypts your data.4) Google sends your data to it's final destination.5) A response is sent back to Google.6) Google takes that information and encrypts it.7) Google sends you the encrypted information.8) Google Secure Client decrypts the information.9) Everything seems to have worked as it did before you had Secure Access Client installed.